By Barbara Kincade, DTM - Toastmasters at Twelve, Daytona Beach
I never even heard about Toastmasters until I took the Dale
Carnegie Course. I had a job where I was
expected to stand before a group and teach Petroleum Economics software. I was really bashful. DCC is not a public speaking course, but more
a human relations course. Their speeches
might be one minute. I visited
Toastmasters clubs in Houston and Dallas.
They seemed like professional speakers to me. At the end of the meetings, dreading the time
for guest comments, my allergies would flare and I would begin clearing my
throat. The best I could manage was,
"Nice meeting." I visited
those big city clubs off and on for ten years.
I knew I needed Toastmasters, but I was too scared to join.
I moved to Fort Myers, Florida.
A new club was starting in Bonita Springs. They stumbled, bumbled and Ah'd all over the
place. Plus, they were so nice and
friendly.
I joined Bonita Springs Toastmasters in August 1991. My first Table Topics response was mentioned
in the Ah Counter's report. He said I
had 14 Ah's in my 27 seconds, plus I seemed to have a case of the
"However's." Once I made
that commitment to join, nothing could stop me from mastering that fear. The following spring, someone said to me,
"Barbara, I can tell you would make a really good Vice President
Education." I was so flattered that I agreed. The next year someone said, "Barbara,
you did a great job as Vice President Education. I can tell you would be a fantastic Area
Governor." I became a Toastmaster
fanatic - Area Governor, officer in my home club, dual member, building another
club. I ate, slept and breathed Toastmasters.
I achieved my first DTM in 1996.
Reminiscing, I recall people, speeches, particular meetings,
funny things that happened in Toastmasters.
One of the funniest was when one of my ballot comments after a speech,
said, "Most eyebrow movement since Groucho Marx." I was very self-conscious about my eyebrows
for quite a while.
Another funny story happened at a Division Humorous Speech
contest in Sarasota. I was
"Priscilla Louise Walker, CTM or Prissy Lou to my friends." I went through the 10 speeches in a silly
voice with humorous explanations of each. In the middle of my presentation I
noticed the District Governor from Miami checking his watch. That was funny.
One of my big speaking fears was my mind going totally blank in
front of the group. Thank God it
happened during the Invocation. I just
said, "Amen."
I love the teamwork and flexibility we have in Toastmasters. I
recall an October West Volusia Toastmasters meeting at the Deltona Library. We arrived to find early voting had taken our
meeting room. We went outside in the
park area, had a semi-dark meeting. It
was perfect for Halloween with lots of strange sound effects in the dark.
My favorite officer role is Sergeant at Arms. There's no homework. You show up early and set up the room. You stay late and put it back together.
My favorite advanced manual is Interpretive Reading. You don't have to write a speech. You use your voice, gestures and facial
expressions to interpret the author's words.
Twice I've had my heart broken in Toastmasters. I guess that's inevitable when you invest so
much of your time, energy and self into anything. The first time I was trying
to build a Christian Toastmasters club at my church in Fort Myers. We had 17 members after six months, and then
people started dropping out. The final
straw was when one of my Bonita Toastmasters evaluated a brand new member and
became so emotional that he took the Lord's name in vain. I knew my pastor would hear about it and I
would be held accountable. That night I
sobbed at the side of my bed. I
cancelled the new club effort. The
second time we had some personality conflicts in another club. Someone became offended and we went through
six months of Toastmasters' stress. I
finished my term as Vice President Education, helping them become President's
Distinguished, and then I left. Each time, it was not the Toastmasters program
that caused problems. It was the actions
of a few members. I believe in
Toastmasters, found other clubs where my contributions were appreciated.
One of my most favorite Toastmasters activities is leading Youth
Leadership, public speaking training for ages 8 to 18. One person could lead the entire program, but
it's better for fellow Toastmasters to present the educational speeches. The Toastmasters get manual credit for their
speeches and the youth are exposed to different style of speakers. We've presented them in Fort Myers, Houston
and Daytona Beach.
I've made lots of friends during my 24 years of
Toastmasters. Two of my mentors during
that early period are still my best friends.
I stay in Toastmasters because of the networking. Where else can you go and hang out with
positive people wanting to improve?
